In a bid to strengthen accountability and prevent the diversion of nutrition commodities, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) officers, nutrition focal persons, and logistics officers across Bauchi State's 20 local government areas (LGAs) have been urged to improve their skills. The call was made during a two-day training organised for the officers on the Nigeria Health Logistics Management Information System (NHLMIS). The programme aimed to build the capacity of programme officers at the local government level on the importance of reliable and accurate nutrition data.
The training, which focused on improving data quality, commodity tracking, and accountability within the state’s health system, was conducted by the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board. Adamu Musa Bara, the monitoring and evaluation officer of the board, said the programme was designed to reorient programme officers at the Local Government Area level on the importance of reporting reliable and accurate data on monitoring and evaluation of nutrition data and commodity management. He explained that accurate reporting was essential to ensuring that nutrition commodities supplied to health facilities were properly tracked and reached their intended beneficiaries.
According to Bara, health facilities must ensure that information generated from services provided was accurate and properly captured before being entered into the nationally approved District Health Information System (DHIS2) platform. The training would also contribute to effective management of nutrition commodities by enabling authorities to compare service-delivery data with logistics records. Several nutrition interventions supported by UNICEF included Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS), and Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF).
Bara disclosed that the ultimate objective was to strengthen data quality, improve accountability, and ensure that nutrition commodities reached those who needed them most. He further warned against the diversion of RUTF, stressing that the commodity was critical to the survival of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. “One diverted RUTF pack is a death sentence for one child that is suffering from severe acute malnutrition because he needs it to stay alive,” he said.
UNICEF nutrition officer, Jackson Martins, said the organisation, with support from the United States Government, was supporting the training of programme officers drawn from the state and LGA levels. The participants included M&E officers, Logistics Management Coordinating Unit (LMCU) officers, and nutrition focal persons, who were being trained on DHIS2 and NHLMIS to strengthen the management of health commodities and improve the quality of logistics data used for decision-making.
Martins said the training was aimed at improving participants’ understanding of NHLMIS tools and processes, strengthening logistics management, and enhancing data quality for informed decision-making. The training is expected to equip participants with the skills to effectively manage nutrition commodities and improve the overall quality of healthcare services in the state. The programme is part of a broader effort to address malnutrition and improve healthcare outcomes in Nigeria.
The Bauchi State government, in collaboration with UNICEF and other partners, is working to strengthen its healthcare system and improve the well-being of its citizens, particularly vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women. The training of M&E officers, nutrition focal persons, and logistics officers is a critical component of this effort, as it aims to ensure that nutrition commodities are effectively managed and reach those who need them most.
Key points
- The Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board has urged Monitoring and Evaluation officers to prevent the diversion of nutrition commodities, particularly Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF).
- The training programme aims to build the capacity of programme officers at the local government level on the importance of reliable and accurate nutrition data.
- UNICEF is supporting the training of programme officers to strengthen the management of health commodities and improve the quality of logistics data used for decision-making.